In Loving Memory of

April 3, 1972-July 30, 1989

Justin Jared Jason Braun ended up with a long name. His sisters Laurelei and Debbie chose the name Jason and that is the name everyone called him. Except of course when he was getting called by a nickname. My favorite nickname for him was ACE although he did also get called ASA, Nosaj, and often I would call him by his last name Braun! There were yet others! 

It seems as though Jason had second thoughts about coming here as first I went into labor and then everything just stopped. The next day, Jason decided for sure he was going to come and look around. He was welcomed by his two sisters, Debbie 12 at years old and Laurie who was seven. 

Jason was immediately given challenges to overcome.  It turned out that in the first three years of his life this little boy not only had to face surgery but was constantly hit with illness. A second operation was scheduled before he was five years old. 

Jason loved animals but with an asthmatic mother it was difficult to have pets, so Ace settled on enjoying other people's pets. Eventually he enjoyed the pet dog of his older sister Debbie. (she bought a dog later when she moved from home) 

As Jason grew I dreaded that he would want to get involved in hockey, (the Great Canadian pastime) or in football. I had already heard horror stories of young men becoming paraplegics or quadriplegics due to the sports. When I asked him about this he said, "no, mom, those sports are too dangerous!" 

Jason did get involved in soccer. He played on a team by the time he was five years old. I loved to watch those speedy legs pumping as he ran to participate. Jason and his friend Brian Holland were probably the shortest kids on the team that first year. Both were blonde. Brian's dad Bill was the coach! The kids were all precious to watch as sometimes a flower, a butterfly or shoelaces took precedence over the game at hand!  

Jason continued to be involved in soccer as he grew. Soon he was being chosen for the All Star Teams. He would generally turn down those honors. Why? "Because Mom, I want to enjoy my summer not have it all taken up with soccer!" It was as though he knew that he would only have so much time and there was a lot to pack into it! 

As a little guy, Jason was a wanderer and he wanted to see the world. He kept everyone busy trying to keep track of him. By age four he fell in love. Farrah Fawcett was his first love. He had a huge poster of her in his bedroom!  

In May of 1982 Jason had his first poem published. He was an excellent writer and we could all see that not only had Heavenly Father blessed him with a strong athletic body but he had also received a beautiful talent for understanding, composing and remembering. Jason, at the age of 10, wrote about spring that year.  

I think that God granted me the beauty of a young man for a short time and like the song of the bird that touched the soul of my son, I will treasure forever his song. Jason's song was one of joy and delight. He loved people. He loved animals. He loved acting. He was a runner. He became an athlete. Violence did not make sense to him. He did not pursue pastimes that were dangerous. 

Jason surprised us one day by asking if he could join the boxing club. This did not sound like him. He explained that he was not interested in sparring with others. He was very interested in the conditioning a and body building that the young athletes went through. His father loved the rodeo and encouraged Jason to try competing in the wild rides. He tried it once. It was not for him. He only discovered another sport that seemed to invite injury and it did not make sense to participate in something where the likelihood of injury was strong. Eventually Ace would discover Track and Field, a sport where he could challenge himself again and again to better his own personal bests. 

When Jason joined a track club that special love and interest that he had for others shone through. He soon knew the personal bests of even the youngest team members. 

Continued on Page Two

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